Wherever He leads I'll go

Posts tagged ‘lavelle spillers’

It’s been a while since my last blog entry. A lot has happened. I was home for a couple of weeks after I got back from South Dakota. I then headed out again in July to meet Open Door Missions in Farmington, New Mexico. The drive there was incredible…

Colorado Plateau Mesa on Scenic Hwy. 550 in New Mexico

Part of the beauty of driving everywhere is the chance to enjoy what God has created and Red Rock Country is always my favorite!

When everyone arrived we had to hit the ground running. We had to prepare for, set up, and begin a VBS all on our first day there! Thanks to Jessica Dubea, David Anderson and my good friends at the Louisiana Baptist Convention, I had the literature for everyone when they arrived or we would have been even more overwhelmed than we were.

We had VBS during the day. We did this year’s Lifeway VBS, Colossal Coaster World, for an Anglo church in Farmington.

Then, each evening, we held revival services and handed out backpacks with school supplies in several Native American churches in Bloomfield, Aztec and the surrounding areas.

Tammy & Morgan Hanson handing out backpacks to some of the children on the Navajo Reservation

My mornings consisted of this…

The three fifth and sixth grade boys in my class during VBS

And my evenings looked more like this…

Loving these babies!

Bro. Lavelle Spillers, a pastor in Homer, LA as well as a board member of Open Door Missions was our leader. I always enjoy working with Bro. Lavelle and his wife Diane. This year I got to room with their daughter, Pamela Mathews, and their two grandchildren. Poor Diane broke her arm while we were there and the woman never quit! Bro. Lavelle was preaching, pouring his heart out each night. They are both devoted and determined to share the Gospel with everyone they come in contact with.

Diane & Lavelle Spillers

16 adults, youth and children accepted Christ while we were there! Here are a few of them from Gospel Victory Baptist Church on the Navajo Reservation.

Some of those saved at Gospel Victory Baptist Church on the Navajo Reservation

Before heading home I made it a point to visit Monument Valley, part of the Navajo Nation landmarks in southern Utah. It’s a place I’ve wanted to go ever since I saw my first western movie as a child. I wasn’t disappointed! Driving in I got my “Forrest Gump” shot. You know the one where he was running and he just stopped and turned around and went home? Here it is…

My “Forrest Gump” shot heading into Monument Valley

Then I proceeded on. It was hot. The sun was high in the sky. It was dry and dusty. The road through the valley is only 17 miles but is a terrible road. I had red dirt covering everything…inside and outside of my car. And I loved it all!!!!!

A picture I had been waiting my whole life to capture!

Monument Valley did not disappoint!

The summer didn’t end here though. After a couple of more weeks at home it was time to join my friends at the annual “Gathering” at the Bible Baptist Church on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation in Wisconsin.

These north woods are as different as night and day in comparison to red rock country but none the less beautiful. For as much dirt and rock as you see out west, you see just as much grass and water here.

North Woods country

Fall was even beginning to show it’s colors in a few of the leaves and the underbrush…

The underbrush was already beginning to change colors

I’m always at peace on this reservation. There are cool, dry breezes that make the leaves sing and being here is like slipping back in time. But the true peace that pervades my soul while at Lac du Flambeau is found in Christ who resides in these good people.

Our days were spent attending discipleship classes in the morning, gathering in the evening for jam sessions outside and services at night.

Evening jam sessions

The kids would just do their own thing during these jam sessions…

Sometimes I would just sit back and marvel at the mixture of races coming together…all of us one because of Christ.

The best part was that the leaders for this gathering were also Native American. Pastor Wesley Castillo of Pine Hill Baptist Church and his wife, Paulette, their daughter and three young brothers from their congregation came all the way from the Navajo reservation in Cuba, New Mexico. We were blessed by what God did through them.

Pine Hill Baptist Church from Cuba, NM

They ministered through music, testimony and sermons that left me in tears each night. And just when you thought everything was coming to a close, the Holy Spirit would keep it going. I won’t soon forget any of it.

The group of believers at Lac du Flambeau are strong. Pam and Dar, Kevin, Mrs. Virginia and Mr. Ed, Mrs. Judy, Bernadine, Mr. Buddy, Pastor Bill and Bridget and their family…they’ve all become my family. But upon returning home I found out that I lost a member of that family.

Mr. Ed Seneca, probably one of the most original men as well as one of the most devoted Christian men I’ve ever known (Red, Yellow, Black or White), went home August 27, 2013.

Ed Seneca…an original!

Mr. Ed loved Jesus, Mrs. Virginia and music…in that order. Last year I sat with him in the hospital and found myself amazed that he rejoiced at being there because it gave him the chance to minister to the doctors and nurses who attended him. I’ve listened to him sing in English as well as in his native tongue and each time it left me in tears. I recorded some of his stories and his songs because I didn’t want to ever forget his voice. I spent as much time with him as I could but it’s never enough is it?

My heart grieves for Mrs. Virginia but rejoices with Mr. Ed because I know he was dancing a jig at the throne! It makes me smile every time I think about it. I look forward to seeing him again and I’m grateful God allowed me one more visit with him before He took him.

Mrs. Virginia & Mr. Ed being silly after his stay in the hospital in the spring of 2012

This has been a summer filled with beauty, sadness, tears, sickness, frustration and overwhelming joy but more importantly it has been filled with God’s Holy Spirit.

I’ve traveled 12,560 miles. I’ve had the privilege of ministering and being ministered to on reservations in Washington State, South Dakota, New Mexico and Wisconsin. I never had to worry about finances and there were some obstacles but they pale in comparison to what I witnessed God doing. I saw lives changed, people saved and experienced God at work in my own life. I was allowed to minister with some amazing groups…Pisgah Baptist Church in Forest Hill, Twin Bridges Baptist Church in Alexandria, Vicki & Fred James of Morning Star Ministries in Washington State, North Monroe Baptist Church in Monroe, Open Door Missions and Jed & Sally Jezek at LaPlant Baptist Church in South Dakota.

The best part? It never ends!! I’m so thankful to all of you for being a part of this ministry! I appreciate and pray for you all. I’ll keep you posted on what’s next. Until then, I hope you are all happy, happy, happy but remember…happiness comes from your circumstances but joy comes from God!